The Opportunity
We are seeking a Head of Operations to lead our Operations Team. This team is crucial for the company, coordinating all aspects of funds' lifecycles, from set-up and launch, through to day-to-day transaction oversight and middle office activities, to overseeing critical service providers, and managing important projects such as fund mergers and other changes.
Key Responsibilities
* Coordinate daily oversight of trade lifecycle activities across trade execution, middle office, administration, and custody service providers, ensuring investment teams receive top-notch support.
* Manage new product launches and significant changes to existing products.
* Oversee day-to-day management of outsourced functions, including intragroup and third-party service providers (Middle Office, Depositary, Administrator, Investment Managers/Advisors), ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, internal policies, and Board expectations.
* Oversight of initial and ongoing due diligence on outsourced service providers, negotiating, reviewing, and approving SLAs/SLDs.
* Develop oversight controls for quality of service from funds' and firm's service providers, reviewing activity, challenging, and escalating when service does not meet expectations.
* Control key fund administration and custody services from delegates, ensuring items like fund expenses, payments, and settlement breaks are well managed.
* Act as Primary Contact for Securities Lending Programme, responsible for discharging adequate oversight on various agents and preparing management reports.
* Ensure timely reception and review of periodic and ad hoc metrics related to outsourced functions and their alignment with Operational Risk Framework.
* Act as primary escalation point for queries from internal and external stakeholders.
* Lead Project Manager for ad-hoc projects mandated by the Chief Operating Officer.
* Support procurement of new services and/or service providers.
* Presentation of periodic or ad-hoc reporting to the Board, Risk Committee, Product Committee, etc.
* Support design, testing, implementation, and maintenance of IT and information workflows between Company and its service providers.
Requirements
* Relevant Asset Management/Investment Management or UCITS Management Company middle office/operations experience.
* Experience leading a team in a fast-paced environment, with ability to coach and develop high-performing teams.
* Deep knowledge of investment operations across financial products and markets.
* Strong leadership and organisational skills, finding balance between short-term needs and delivery of structural solutions.
* Able to develop good working relationships across functions and third-party service providers.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills, translating stakeholder requirements into action plans.
* Enthusiastic, self-starter, embracing change to find innovative ways to support company growth.